The Necessity of Larger Government - Essay Example

To address the demonizing of government by those enjoying the fruits of a system created for the good of all people is similar to the analogy of biting the hand that feeds you. At his inaugural address in 1981, Ronald Reagan stated, “Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem,” and with that premise began the anti-government sentiment that is still alive today. Not in an anarchical sense, rather a frustration felt among certain people or groups that have determined nothing good coming from the feds.

One must take into consideration all of the productive or good aspects of government before branding the leadership in Washington as the evil empire determined to destroy all society. Without the power within our government to implement change or assist the people of the United States in times of need would call for the shallow attempts at placing blame for the woes of the masses; however, the opposite is true. Such legislative authority builds roads, provides health care, supplies clean water, finances entitlements and Social Security payments, without those services and many others our nation would join the statistics of the third-world countries.

The Tea Party agenda desires less government and more freedom to control our collective destiny, by lessening the footprint of government, a utopia will emerge in society; nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, to eliminate any major function of government such as Social Security leaving retirement savings to the individual would be catastrophic. Not to mention the security afforded by a strong military and law enforcement that if minimized would jeopardize millions of lives.

Freedom, when applied in logical terms, can be achieved in the most restrictive governmental ideology. Our misconception of the U.S.S.R. during the Cold War and prior to the removal of the Berlin Wall was home to millions that went to school, shopped at local stores, and supported their way of life as it was all they knew. There existed dissension among the citizenry of the Soviet Union just as it flourishes in the U.S.A. Common ground helps to open dialog between a government and its people, they are called Congressmen and Senators who represent the common good for us all.

With the recent battles waged in Washington concerning the fiscal cliff, gun control and the agenda of the current administration, draw fire from the conservative mindset as they, in turn, receive the liberal viewpoints theory. Each side of the aisle can voice opinions to debate the direction this country is headed, but neither side will gain absolute victory for their cause. A compromise must be found to avoid stalemates of power, placing the mechanics of Washington at a standstill that will benefit no one.

Former President Bill Clinton alluded to the idea of the previous Republican leaving Obama an economic mess, stating he has not cleaned up and to put a Republican back in the office. Somehow that theory did not fly with the American people, and indeed our President has much to do with little time; let the people determine the usefulness of a larger government and the role it plays in our lives.